Attachment for writing instruments



June 25, 1929. G. H. NORDRUM ATTACHMENT FOR WRITING iNSTRUMENTS FiledFeb. 10, 1928 glwuento o Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. NORDRUM, OF ST.. PAUL, MINNESOTA, A SSIG'NOR F ONE-THIRD TOHENRY G. NOR-DRUM AND ONE-THIRD TO J. W. HAMILTQN, BOTH. OF ST. PAUL,MINNE- SOTA.

ATTACHMENT FOR WRITING INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed February 10, 1928. Serial 1T0. 52,53,293.

As is well known, writing with apen or pencil for long periods at timeoften results in painful strain or even temporary paralysis ot thewritefs torearm or wrist. It is the ob ject (it this invention torelieve such strainv or paralysis by providing resiliently supportedrests tor those fingers of the writer which grip the writii'iginstrument.

More particularly it is my object to provide an attaclnnent with restsfor the il'iorelingcr and. thumb of the writer supported upon metalliclest springs which normally project obliquely from the shatt of theinstrument together with means tor quickly and easily retracting saidrests when the device not in use. J-Xnother object to provide a deviceo't this kind adapted to he quickly and easily attached to a writinginstrument of common term.

The invention will be best underslnod by rt-rterenee to the accompanyingdrawings in. which. Figure l. is a side elevation of my device attachedto a pencil o'l eon'unon. type an d with the finger rests in extendedposition; Fig. 2 is a plan view ot the same; Fig. is an enlarged sectiontaken on the line 53-43 of Fig. 1 andv with the rests retracted and Hi4; is an enlarged section talren on the line l l of Fig. 1..

As shown in the drawings, where the device is to be attached to pencilsoil: the more or less standard type I provide a sleeve 5 adapted to litupon and encase the shaft 6 of the pencil. Secured to one side of thesleeve 5 is a lea'l spring which normally projects obliquely downwardtherefrom. Upon the movable end ot this spring 7 is a rest 8 tor theforefinger of the writer. This rest is preteraliily termed with adepression to retain the finger in pl ace thereon and an outwardly bent:tl an go 9 to prevent the linger from sliding off the end ot the rest.Registering with the rest 8 in the side of the sleeve 5 is an. opening10 into which the rest is retracted when not in use. Another rest 11 forthe thumb of the writer provided on the side of the sleeve 5.

This rest 11 is also resiliently supported so as to project from theside of the sleeve upon an oblique spring 12. An opening 13 in thesleeve 3 is arranged to register with the rest 11 to receive the samewhen it is retracted as hereinafter described.

To retain the sleeve 5 upon the shaft 6 when the attachment is in use, Iprovide a pair of dogs 1/1. These dogs normally project from oppositesides of the sleeve 5 and are arranged to be pressed inward upon thepencil shaft 6 through openings in the sleeve. The dogs 1-4. in theembodiment shown are liorn'ied integral with the sleeve 5 at the lowerend of the open in 15 as clearly shown. inFig. 1. Slidablelongitudiually on the sleeve is a ring 16 ad apted to he moved to theright from the position shown in l 1. to press the dogs 14 inwardthrough. the opening 15 and against the shaft This ring 16 is alsomovable toward the lel't from the position. shown in Fig. 1 to thedotted. line position where it retains the rests 8 and '11 in retractedposition. W hen in retracted position the rests S and 11 n'oject throughthe openin spectively intoengagement with the shaft 6 and thereby retainthe sleeve 5 in place. A stop 17 projects from the sleeve5 to limitmovement of the ring 16 in one direction and a small pro ection 18 huntsmovement in the other d ireetion.

The 'o unfation of the device will now be readily iuiderstood. To attachthe device to the pencil the sleeve is merely slipped over the shatt 6to the desired position. and then the ring 16 drawn overthc dogslq-flinto engagement with the stop 1.7. This presses the dogs 14: intogripping engagement with the shatt 6 and retains the sleeve thereon. Nowthe writer places the forefinger (or second tinon the rest 8 andtl'u'unh on the rest 11. so that a resilient grip is established. I haveliouud that this device greatly relieves muscle strain and :liacilitateswriting for long pcriods of time.

hen the pen or pencil isnot in use the ring 16 moved to the dotted lineposition. indicnted in Fig. 1. This confines the rests 8 and 11 toeompact'position against the shaft of the instrument and at the sametime retains the sleeve 5 in place by pressing the rests 8 and ll. intofirm frictional contact. with the shaft 6. hen so retracted the restsoffer no obstruction to inserting the instrument in a pocket or otherreceptacle.

It will be evident that the springs 7 and 12 may be attached directly tothe pen or pencil shaft and numerous other modifications are consideredto be within the spirit of my invcntion.

Having described my invention what I claim is new and desire to protect;by Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment for a writin instrument 's 10 and 141: re-

having a shaft comprising a sleeve adapted to receive said shaft, fingerrests normally projecting from the sides of said sleeve, resilientsupports for said rests adapted to nor inally maintain the same inextended position, means for securing said sleeve on said shaft andmeans for retracting said rests against the action of said supports.

2. An attachment for a writing instrument having ashaft comprising aresilient support projecting obliquely downward from the side of saidshaft, a rest supported on the outer end of said resilient support, asecond shorter resilient support projecting obliquely from the side ofsaid shaft, a thumb rest carried on said second spring and a ringslidable along said shaft and movable from a position clear of the upperends of said supports to a position overlapping and confining saidsupports closely adjacent to said shaft to retract said rests againstthe sides of said shaft.

3. An attachment for a writing instrument having a shaft comprising asleeve adapted to receiversaid shaft, finger rests normally projectingobliquely downward from the sides of said sleeve and permanently securedthereto at their upper ends, resilient supports for said rests adaptedto normally maintain the same in extended position, means for securingsaid sleeve on said shaft and a ring slidable along said sleeve from aposition clear of said supports to another position overlapping saidsupports for retracting said rests against the action of said supports.

.4. An attachment for a writing instrument having a shaft, comprising asleeve. adapted to .receivesaid shaft, finger rests normally projectingin spaced: relation to the sides of said sleeve, resilient supports forsaid rests permanently secured to said sleeve and projecting obliquelytherefrom to normally maintain said rests in extended position, saidsleeve being formed with an opening, a dog secured to said sleeve andarranged to be extended inward through said opening to engage saidshaft, and a ring slidable along said sleeve and adapted in one positionto confine said dog in engagement with said shaft for securing saidsleeve thereon and adapted in another position to confine said restsclosely adjacent to the sleeve.

5. An attachn'ient for a writing instrument having a shaft, comprising asleeve adapted to receive said shaft, finger rests normally projectingin spaced relation to the sides of said. sleeve, resilient supports forsaid rests permanently secured to said sleeve and projecting obliquelytherefrom to normally maint ain said rests in extended position, saidsleeve being formed with an opening, a dog secured to said sleeve andarranged to be extended inward through said opening to engage saidshaft, said sleeve having a second opening arranged to receive one ofsaid rests when in retracted position and a ring slidable along saidsleeve and adapted in one position to confine said dog in engagementwith said shaft for securing said sleeve thereon and adapted in anotherposition to confine said rests closely adjacent to the sleeve and toextend one of said rests into frictional engagement with the shaftthrough said second opening.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specitication.

GEORGE H. NORDRUM.

